Bottle washing and sterilizing machine.



J c MI'LLER I BOTTLE WASHING AND'STERIILIZING MACHINE. APPLlC/(TION FILED. MAY '21, 1906. .v 1,34h3?3 Patented July 24, 1917,,

5 SHEETS-SHEET] v \W WW Jomctflp'izebl menm July 24, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET DU H M o mn hq t. v

2 A FVJ J. C. MILLER.

BOTTLE WASHING AND STERlLIZING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1906- wmm.

1. a. MILLER. BOTTLE WASHING AND STER'I'LIZING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILE D A121. 1905- Jl ,%$'Y$D Patented July 24,1917.

5 sHEETssHz-:ET s. L J

Patented July 24:, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 1. MILLER. BOTTLE WASHING AND STERILIZING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mm! 21.

J. c. MIL L ER.

BOTTLE WASHING AND STERILIZING MACHINE.-

APPLICATION FILED MAYZI, I906.

Patented Jnly'2 L-1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

asaaas.

JOHN C. MILLER, 0F CANTON, OHIO.

BOTTLE WASHING AND STERILIZIN G MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24L, 1%11'31 Application filed May 21, 1906. Serial No. 317,918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Canton, Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Bottle Washing and Steriliz ing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine whereby the thorough cleansing and sterilizing of bottles may be effected with great rapidity.

This object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of abottle washing and sterilizing machine, constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the'apparatus, the horizontal cleaning brush bein omitted,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation 0 part of the machine on an enlarged scale Y Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line (La, 3, '4

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view, on an enlarged scale, of part of the machine.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section .on the line b?) Fig. 2, v

Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of cer tain mechanism used 1n connection with thebottle conveying devices of the machine;

Fig. 9 is another view of the same with the parts in a different position;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the cleaning brushes having some of the bristles removed, and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged. view of certain of the devices for imparting movement to the bottle-carrying racks.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the inter-' mittent valve in the steam supply pipe.

In the drawings, the principal groups of parts of the-mechanism as entireties are represented as follows: A is the main frame of the machine; B isthe'preliminary or initial washing mechanism; C is the, main washing mechanism arranged below the horizontal plane of the preliminary or initial washing mechanism B; D is the rinsing mechanism; E is the sterilizing and dry- The machine has, at the bottom, an oblong rectangular tub or tank 1, which is divided (see dotted lines, Fi 3) into two compartments,-one for hol ing water containing soap or other cleansing material, and the other for holding a rinsing fluid such as clear water.

Mounted upon this tank are opposite side frames 2, which, together with proper cross frames, constitute the main frame A and carry the working parts of the machine.

I The power transmitting devices H preferably comprise a main driving shaft 3, whichis adapted to suitable bearings at one side of the niachine,i andhas pulleys l for receiving the-driving belt, the shaft being also provided with an incline-tooth gear 5 and a worm 6. The gear 5 serves to rotate the scrubbin brusheswith which the machine is provi ed and the worm 6 meshes with a worm. wheel 7 on a transverse shaft 8, which carries suitable cams, referred to hereinafter, whereby mo ement is imparted to the other elements of the machine.

The bottles to be washed are placed in an inverted position in suitable cases, racks or trays (hereinafter, for convenience, termed racks) and at the top of the machine are formed opposite rails or guideways 9 for properly directing through the machine said bottle-carrying racks, which are moved along in succession over the rails 9 by reason of their engagement with projecting studs 10,\ preferably carried upon opposite intermittently operated endless chains 11, which may form art of the conveying system G, as hereina ter described.

At one end of the base tank 1 of the machine is a. pump 12 which draws soapy water from one compartment of the tank and forces it through a pipe 13, which is in communication with the preliminary or initial washing mechanism B. This mechanism preferably comprises a series of longitudinal pipes 14, located between the rails 9 at the receiving end of the machine, each of said pipes having upwardly projecting nozzles 15, which are so disposed with reference to the disposition of the bottles in the carrying racks that when a rack is in a position of rest, on first entering the machine, there will be a nozzle in line with the mouth of through a pipe 22, which is connected, by

suitable branches, with the rinsing mechanism D. The rinsing mechanism preferably comprises a series of longitudinal pipes 23 located between the rails 9 and each provided with projecting nozzles 24 so disposed that each of them will be in' line with the mouth of a bottle when the rack containing the same reaches a position of rest in its further passage through the machine, the jets of clean water from said nozzles 24 thus serving to rinse the previously washed bottles.

As shown in the drawings, the pipes 23 are provided with twice as many spaced nozzles 24 as there are bottles contained in a single rack so that each group or rack of bottles receives a preliminary and a final rinsing after being subjected to the main washing or scrubbing mechanism 0. Longitudinally beyond the pipes 23 is the sterilizing and drying mechanism E, comprising a set of pipes 25, with nozzles 26, and these pipes 25 are in connection with a steam pipe 127 through a branch 128 having v a valve 129 which is intermittently operated, as described hereafter, so as to provide for the projection at certain .times, of jets of steam from the nozzles 26 into bottles supported above them, thereby effecting the sterilization and drying of the previously washed and rinsed bottles.

The pipe 22 has a branch 27 leading to the main washing mechanism C and provided with a valve 28, hence, by proper manipulation of the valves 17 and 28 either soapy water or clearwater or a mixture of the two can be directed to the main washing mechanism.

Located above the rails 9, at the receiving end of the machine are arranged suitable means for cleaning the bottoms of the bottles as they are moved through the apparatus. These means preferably comprise a transversely arranged rotary scrubbing brush 29, the shaft of which is mounted. in bearings carried by a forked and counterweighted lever 30 hung upon suitable bearings on vertical posts 31, said brush shaft having a pulley 32 for receiving a belt whereby. it may be rotated. This brush serves to brush thebottoms of the bottles when they first enter the machine.

The mechanism G for imparting intermittent movement to the driving chains 11 is as follows Secured to the transverse shaft 8 is a grooved cam 33 which acts upon a stud 34 on a swinging yoke 35, which, as shown in Figs. 6 and 11, is pivoted at'its lower end to one of the cross bars of the frame.

Mounted so as to be free to slide verti-' cally in the forks of this yoke is a bar 36, which is pivoted at its upper end to a transverse slide bar 37, suitably mounted in bearings on the opposite side frames of the malink 38, to .an arm 39, which is free to swing upon a vertical shaft 40 and carries a pawl 41 for engaging with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 42 secured to said shaft.

The shaft 40 has a spur wheel 43'which meshes with a spur pinion 44 on a vertical shaft 45 and said spur wheel 43 also drives, through the medium of an interposed spur wheel 46, a spur pinion 47 on a vertical shaft 48.

The shafts 45 and 48 are adapted to suitable bearings in the opposite-side frames of the machine, and each of said shafts is provided, at its upper end, with a chain wheel 49, one of these wheels engaging the chain 11 at one side of the machine, and the other engaging the chain 11 at the opposite side of the machine, said chain being also adapted to chain wheels 50 and 51 which can turn freely upon vertical studs or shafts at the receiving end of the machine.

Suitablemeans are provided for opening and closing the valve 129 in the steam pipe 128 at predetermined intervals for supplying steam to the sterilizing and drying mechanism E at the time when a group of bottles is in position above such mechanism. The means illustrated in the drawings will be described as follows:

The transverse slide 37 is provided, at one end, with a hook 52, which, as the slide is approaching the limit of its movement in the direction of the arrows Fig. 5 engages with the handle of the valve 129, which is preferably a self-closing valve, and said valve serves to open for a limited time communication between the steam pipe 127',"and the branch pipe 128 which is connected to the pipes 25, thus supplying steam to the nozzles 26, which supply, however, is cut ofl as soon as the slide 37 has completed a predetermined portion of its return movement.

The main washing mechanism C preferably comprises a water tank, head or chest 18 and a series of washers or scrubbing clevices, such as brushes for cleaning the interiors of the bottles, this series of brushes being combined with intervening scrubbing devices, such as brushes 20 for cleansing the exteriors of the bottles.

The present machine is designed for use in connection with a rack carrying twelve at its lower end to a tubular sleeve 53, which is split atithe upper end and provided with a taperin g thread for the reception of a clamping nut 54, whereby it may be secured to the lower end of the spindle 19, each sleeve 53 turning in a bearing in the top plate of the chest 18, and in a bearing in a plate 55 above the same and spaced therefrom.

Between the plate 55 and the chest 18 each sleeve 53 is provided with a spur wheel 56 or 57, the spur wheels 56, corresponding with the brushes 20, intermeshing with each other, but the spur wheels 57, corresponding with the brushes 20, meshing only with certain of the spur wheels 56, since it is mani' fest that said spur wheels 57 cannot mesh with all of the spur wheels 56 because of the contrary directions in which the latter run.

All of the spur wheels 57, therefore, have the upper portions of their teeth cut away and those of the spur wheels 56, which it is not desired to mesh with the spur wheels 57 have the lower portions of their teeth cut away, as shown in Fig. 7, so that the spur wheels 57 mesh only with those spur wheels 56, which have full teeth.

Each of the brushes 20 may consist of brush fiber preferably disposed in a spiral course around the hollow spindle 19 as shown in Fig. 10, the spindle being perforated, as shown at 58, at points between the convolutions of the brush material, and'each brush 20 has at the upper end an outwardly flaring ring 59 of brush material and a central perforation 60 to supply the same with water. Each brush 20 therefore provides for the thorough scouring of the interior of the bottle both on the sides and bottom, the flaring ring 59 insuring access of thebrush material to the annular recess formed where the sides and bottom of the bottle join each other.

The brushes 20 may be constructed in a similar manner except that the ring 59 may be omitted, since it would, in the brush 20, serve no useful purpose.

The brush-carrying chest 18 has no vertical movement, and as the said head or chest 18 and the scrubbing devices carried thereby are arranged-in a horizontal plane below the plane of the preliminary or initial washing mechanism B and the rinsing and sterilizi mechanisms D and E,

raise and lower the bottles in order to permit of the entry of the brushes into them and of the proper action of the brushes thereon, For this reason that portion of each of the rails 9 which is adjacent to the brushes cal posts or rods forming part of the fixed framework of the machine.

Rising and falling movement is imparted to the secondary frame by means of cams 66 on the cam shaft 8, each of these cams acting upon an anti-friction roller .on an arm 67' which is secured to a rock shaft 68 mounted in a bearing on one of the side frames of the machine, said rock shaft having another arm 69 whch is slotted at its outer end for engagement with a projecting pin 70 on one of the side bars 62 of the secondary frame,

the inner end of this pin serving as a pivot forthe plate 61, as shown in Fig. 4. a

When a tray has been pushed on to the primary frame," the latter, with the rack containing the inverted bottles, is lowered by the descent of the secondary frame, so that the vertically projecting brushes 20 enter the bottles and the brushes E21 rise be tween the same.

The bottles'are rotated by frictional contact with the brushes 20, but at a slower rate of speed than the brushes themselves, each brush 20 acting upon all parts of the interior of its respective bottle and each brush 2O acting upon the exterior of each bottle, with which it is in contact.

In order to prevent the bottles from being lifted from the rack by the upward push of the brushes thereon, the, secondary frame has, at each side, vertical bars 71, bent inwardly and downwardly at their upper ends, so as to be free from engagement with the side frames of the machine, the inner ends of these bars carrying a plate 72, of wire gauze or other light material, which, by contact with the bottoms of the bottles, serves to retain the same in their proper vertical po ition.

it becomes necessary a 3' -;I

In order to insure contact between the brushes and all parts of the interior of each bottle, it is advisable to tip or tilt the bottles while the brushes are acting upon them, and for this reason the primary frame is mounted upon the pivoted plates 61.

The tilting movement of the frame is effected by means of a toothed wheel 73 on the shaft 8 in the following manner:

The wheel 73 acts upon onearm of a lever 74, which is hung to a suitable stud on the side frame of the machine, the other arm of said lever 74 being acted on by a spring 88, and connected by a link 75, to one arm of a bell crank lever 76, which is likewise hung to a stud on the side frame of the machine,

the other arm of said lever receiving a sliding block 77, which is pivotally connected to a forked link 78, the latter being pivotally connected to an arm 79 which is secured to one of the cross bars 63 of the secondary frameasaid cross bar being free to rock in its hearings on the side bars 62. On the cross bar 63 are arms 80 (Fig. 3) which. are adapt; ed to act upon one of the cross bars 9" of the primary frame,-so as to raise andlower the same and consequently impart a tipping or tilting movement to the frame, and thence to the bottle tray and the bottles contained therein.

The teeth of the wheel 73 are so disposed that tipping or tilting movement of the bottle-supporting frame takes place only when the brushes are in the bottles, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 3.

A construction in which vertical and tipping movements might be imparted to the brush-carrying chest 18, would necessitate sliding and flexible connections between the pipes which communicate with said chest, hence the construction shown and described is preferred.

In order to insure the feeding of the crates of bottles to the machine so that they will properly engage with the projecting lugs 10 of the feed chains 11, I employ, in connection with one of said feed chains a supplemental or preliminary feeder consisting of a bar 81 (Figs. 8 and 9) mounted so as to slide longitudinally in brackets 82 which overhang the inner run of the feed chain, said bar being provided, at its rear end, with a finger 83 and being connected to a weight 84 by means of a chain or cord 85 which pa ses over a suitably located sheave 86, as s hown in Fig. 8.

Pivoted to the bar 81 .is a hooked trigger 87, adapted to engage with projecting lugs 10 of the feed chain 11, and from said trigger projects an arm 89, which, by contact with a lug 90 on the side frame of the machine, is lifted when the bar reaches a predetermined point in its movement thereby lifting the trigger 87 from engagement with the lug 10, as shown in Fig. 9, and permitlug 10 of the feed chain, and the bar 81 is moved forwardly, it will carry the bottle crate forwardly with it, this movement be ing continued until, by contact of the finger 89 with the lug 90, the trigger 87 israised out of engagement with the lug 10 and the bar 81 is again retracted, the bottle tray being thereby'left in position to be engaged by succeeding lugs 10 on the feed chains so as to continue its intermittent movement through the machine.

In order to heat the water contained in either compartment of the base tank, the steam pipe 127 has valved branches 92 and 93 extending to the opposite ends of the tank as shown in Fig. 2.

Motion is transmitted to the rotary scrubbing brushes, of the machine from the incline-tooth gear 5 on the primary shaft 3, said gear 5 meshing with a similar gear'94 at the lower end of a vertical shaft 95, which is mounted in suitable bearings in a bracket 96 and in the chest 18 and top plate 55, said shaft 95 having a spur wheel 97, which meshes with one of the spur wheels 56, as shown in Fig. 5.

It will be evident that many modifications of the machine can be made without interfering with the general structure and purpose of the same, hence I wish it to be understood that my disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and divisional applications Ser. Nos. 174,613 and 174,614, filed June 13, 1917 furthermore, no claim is made herein to the disclosed subjectmatter relating to the washing devices or brushes, the invention therein being claimed by me in divisional application Ser. No. 174,914 filed June 15, 1917.

Having thus described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a bottle-washing apparatus, the combination of a set, of washing means adapted to wash bottles in a rack, pivotally-mounted means for supporting the {rack of bottles, means for moving one of said means relative to the other, to position the washing means in operative relation to the bottles, and means for tilting said rack-supporting means bination of'a set of washing port for a rack of bottles, means for eifecton its pivots relative to said washing means during the washing operation.

2. In a bottle washing machine, the comdevices, a suping relative reciprocating movement between the bottle rack and said devices to cause engagement of the latter with the bottles in the rack, and means for causing relativejtilting movement between the rack of bottles and said devices during the engagement of the latter with the bottles.

3. In a bottle washing machine, the'combination of a. series of washing devices, means forsupporting and rotating said devices, a movable support for bottle racks, means for moving said support into engagement with said devices, and means for tilting the bottle racks relative to the devices.

4:. The combination of means for washing bottles in a rack, a pivotally mounted reciprocatable frame for supporting the bottle rack, means for lowering and raising said frame relative to saidwashing means to position the bottles in and out of operative relation therewith, and means for oscillating said frame on its pivots While the bottles are in operative relation with said washing means to cause movement of the bottles relative thereto during the washing operation.

5. .In a bottle washing machine, the'combination of washing devices, a tiltable support for racks of bottles Within which the washing dev-ices' project, a -reciprocating frame on which said support'is pivotally supported, means for lowering and raising said frame, and means for tilting said support on its pivots, whereby the bottles move relative to said washing devices during the 'ashing operation, the said frame being 'bodily movable and the said support tiltable thereon relative to and independently of said washing devices;

(S. In a bottle washing machine, the combination with washing devices, of a movable primary frame for supporting a bottle rack, a secondary frame for carrying said primary frame, a pivotal connection between said frames, a device for rocking the pri mary frame during the washing operation, means for molv-lng said primary and second- .ary frames to position the bottles in the rack in operative relation with said washing devices, and means for operating said rocking device without interfering with the movement of said secondary frame.

7. In a bottle washing machine, the combination with washing devices, of a reciprocatable frame, a bottle rack carrier pivotally mounted thereon, means mounted on said frame for. engaging with and rocking said bottle rack carrier, means for reciproeating said frame to move the bottles in the rack into and out of operative relation with said washing devices, and means for operating said rocking means while the bottles are in operative relation with said Washing devices.

S. In a bottle washing machine, the combination of a reciprocating frame, a bottle rack carrier pivotally mounted thereon, means mounted on said frame for engaging with and rocking said bottle rack carrier, means for moving said reciprocating frame, and means including a sliding block for operating said rocking means.

9. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of two alined washing mechanisms, means for supporting and advancing a rack of bottles to positions above said mechanisms successively, means for moving the rack of bottles into and out of operative engagement with one of said mechanisms, and devices for causing relative tilting movement between the bottles in each rack and the last mentioned washing mechanism during operative engagement therewith. i

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a set of nozzles arranged in a row, a set of scrubbing brushes arranged in a row in alinement with said row of nozzles, a stationary bottle rack guide, a bottle racksection arranged to move toward and from said scrubbing brushes, means for advancing racks of bottles from said guide to said section, means for reciprocating said section, and means for rocking the section when moved into operative engagement with said brushes.

11. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a plurality of "alined, separated washing mechanisms, a horizontal slide upon which inverted racks of bottles in alined series rest and are slid step by step successively relative to each of said washing mechanisms, respectively, spaced rack feeding devices, each arranged to engage a bottle rack to slide it along said slide and keep said rack spaced from adjoining racks thereon while said racks are being slid along said slide, means for intermittently actuating said rack feeding devices simultaneously, and means for moving each rack vertically into and out of position for engagement by a feeding device and into operative engagement with one of said washing mechanisms.

12. In a bottle washing machine, the combination of a group of washing devices, 2.20

disposed so as to act simultaneously upon the interiors of a corresponding group of bottles, intervening washing devices disposed so as to act upon the exteriors of the bottlesin the group, and gearing for rotatbrushes, and means for moving the bottle I,

holding means and both series of spindles one relatively to the other to position the bottles in operative relation with said spindles, whereby the first series of spindles enter or move into the bottles andthe second series of spindles or brushes pass between the bottles and act upon the outer faces thereof.

14 In a bottle washing machine, the combination of a support for bottle racks having a section movable into and out ofposition to receive and deliver a rack of bottles, means for feeding the bottle racks forwardly along said support by a succession of movements, and means for reciprocating the movable section of the support in the intervals between the forward movements of the racks.

15. In a bottle washing machine, the combination of a support'for bottle racks'having a section movable into and out of position to receive and deliver a rack of bottles, means for feeding the bottle racks forwardly over said support by a succession of movements, means for reciprocating the movable section, and Washing devices acting upon the bottles when the section is operated.

16-. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a support arranged to guide a rack of bottlesinthe path of movement of rack-moving devices, said support having intermediate its ends a section movable into and out of position to receive and deliver the bottle rack, intermittently actuated devices arranged to move the bottle rack along said support, a set of washing devices, and means, operating during-intervals of rest of said rack-moving devices, for reciprocating said movable section to cause operative engagement of the bottles in a rack with said washing devices.

17. In a machine for treating bottles, the

combination of a bottle rack support,-a plurality of sets of means for directing fluid in jets, a rack for containing bottles movable along said support, and means interposed in said support for moving the rack of ,bottles into engagement with the fluid directing means of one of'said sets of fluid directing means.

18. Ina machine for washing bottles, the combination of a plurality of sets of means for directing fluid in jets corresponding in number and position to the bottles in a bottle rack and arranged in different horizontal planes, a track above said sets of fluid directing means,means for lowering and raising the bottle rack relative to the lowermost set of fluid directing means, and a step by step actuated mechanism for moving the bottle rack along said track.

4 with said scrubbing brushes.

20. In a washing apparatus, the combina tion of a washing mechanism, a separate washing mechanism arranged in a different horizontal plane below the first mentioned washing mechanism, a stationary support and a vertically movable support positioned above said washingmechanisms, respec' tively, a device for moving a rack of bottles from one of said supports to the other, and means for operating said movable support to move the bottle rack thereon into and out of operative relation with said separate washing mechanism.

21. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a set of nozzles arranged in a row, a set of scrubbing brushes arranged in a row in alinement with said row of nozzles, a guide arranged to support a rack of bottles in position to be acted upon by saidset of nozzles, a section movable into and outof position to receive a bottle rack from said guide, means for intermittently advancing the rack of bottles from said guide to said movable section, and means for reciprocating said section during the intervals of rest of said advancing means.

22. In a machine of the character described, the combination of sets of fluid jet injecting devices, supports for bottle racks arranged above said sets of devices and in line with each other, means for supplying of movement. of said rack moving means,

and devices for operating said movable support,'whereby the bottles in the rack carried by the movable support operatively engage the jet'devices therebelow.

23. The combination of a plurality of jet I injecting mechanisms one of which includes a series of rotary brush jet injecting devices, means for horizontally feeding'racks of bottles step by step relative to said mechanisms, separatemeans operating between the step by step movements of said rack feeding means for automatically raising and lowering each rack of bottles at an angle to the direction of movementv imparted to said racks by said feeding means toward and from said devices, whereby the latter will 'enter said bottles, means for supplying fluid to said brush jet injecting devices, and means for rotating said devices.

24. The combination of a support along which a bottle rack is adapted to move, the

said support being provided with a section brush and below said support for injecting a jet of fluid into a bottle in the bottle rack, means for intermittently advancing the bottle rack along said support relative to said brush and jet injecting device, and means for operating the movable section of said support, whereby the bottle in the rack thereon is moved into operative engagement with said scrubbing brush.

25. In a machine for Washing cased bottles, an elongated tank, a case track arranged in sections, in combination wlth a plurality of jet-heads, means for-lowering and raising one section of the track to permit the necks of bottles supported thereby to engage the jets of one of said heads, a valved liquid supply connection for the last mentioned head, and means for moving the case along-said track, substantially as described.

26. In a bottle treating apparatus, the combination of an initial washing mecha' nism, a main washing mechanism arranged in a different horizontal plane relative to the initial washing mechanism,'a rinsing mechanism, alined supports arranged above said mechanisms-and including an elevator movable into and out of position to receive and deliver a tray of bottles, means for moving the tray of bottles along said sup- 'ports and elevator and in position above each of said mechanisms, and means for reciprocatingsaid elevator to move the tray of bottles into engagement with the .main washing mechanism below said elevator.

27. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a series of upwardly directed nozzles arranged in a row, a similar number of vertically disposed scrubbing brushes arranged in a row in alinement with said nozzles, a second series of nozzles arranged in a row in alinement with the said first row of nozzles, means for supporting and advancing a rack of bottles in inverted position from a point in which each bottle is above one of the nozzles of said first series of nozzles to a point in which each one of said bottles is above one of said scrubbing brushes. and then to a position 1n which each bottle is above one of the nozzles of the second series of nozzles. and separate .mmcans, cooperating with said advancing means, for raising and lowering the racks of bottles relative to said brushes to cause the engagement of the latter with the interior walls otthe bottles.

28 In a machine for washing bottles, the combination of a support provided with a movable section for supporting and guiding bottle racks in the path of movement of rack moving devices, intermittently moving devices arranged to engage with and move the racks along said support, jet nozzles for projecting streams of water into the bottles carried by the rack at the beginning of their movement on the support, rotary brushes for acting on the bottles at a further stage through the machine, means for rotating the brushes, rinsing nozzles for injecting streams of water into the bottles at a still further stage of their movement, and means. for moving the movable section toward and from said brushes.

' 29. In a machine for washing cased bottles, a suitable tank, in, combination with a bottle case track, a plurality of plural jet heads, one of which is provided with intermittently operable nozzles, and vertically operable means interposed in said track for lowering each case of bottles upon one of said plural jet heads, substantially as described.

30. A machine for washing cased bottles, comprising a suitable trough, in combination with a bottle case support or track, a plurality of jet heads upon different horizontal planes, means for engaging each case of bottles with the lowermost of said heads. during its movement along saidtrack, and means for controlling the flow of liquid through one of said heads when a case of bottles is in cooperative relation therewith, substantially as described.

31. A machine for washing cased bottles comprising a suitable trough, in combination with a bottle case track, a plurality of jet heads or members upon different horizontal planes, means for engaging each case of bottles with the lowermost of said heads during movement upon said track, a step-bystep mechanism for advancing cases on said track, and means to prevent the, flow ot' sition to the bottles in a bottle case, a track arranged above said heads to support a pin ralit-y of bottle cases in inverted position, means for raising and lowering said bottle cases in relation to the lowermost of said heads, means for supplying fluid to said heads, and meaps whereby certain thereof said support, means for engaging each case of bottles with the lowermost of said jet heads, and means for controlling the flow of liquid from one of said jet heads in accordance with the movement of said cases, substantially as described.

34. In a machine for washing cased bottles, a case track arranged in sections, in combination with a plurality of jet heads, means for lowering and raising one section of the track to permit the engagement of each bottle with a jet of one of said heads,

, a valved fluid supply connection for one .of said jet heads, means for intermittently moving each case along said track, and means operated by said moving means for controlling the operation of the valve of said valved fluid supply connection.

35. In a bottle washing machine, the combination of a horizontal support for invert-' ed bottle racks, devices below said support for washing the bottles, nozzles below said support for injecting steam into the bottles after they have been washed by said devices, means for intermittently moving the bottle racks along said support to a position above and in operative relation to said devices and then to a position above and in operative relation to said steam nozzles, and means actuated by said rack moving means for admitting steam intermittently to said steam nozzles in accordance with the movements of said racks.

36. In a machine for washing bottles, the combination of a support provided with a movable section for supporting and guiding bottle racks in the path of movement of rack moving devices, intermittently moving de vices arranged to engage with and move the racks along said support, jet nozzles for pro j ecting streams of water into the bottles car ried by the racks at the beginning of their movement on the support, brushes for acting on the bottles at a further stage through the machine, steam injecting nozzles for injecting steam into the bottles at a still further stage of their movement, and means for moving the movable section toward and from said brushes.

37. In a machineof the class described, the combination of a plurality of nozzles arranged in a row, a similar number of scrubbing brushes arranged in a row in alinement with said nozzles, a similar number of nozzles arranged in a row in alinement with said first row of nozzles and on the opposite side of said scrubbing brushes therefrom,

means for supporting and advancing a plurality of bottles step by step from a position above said first set of nozzles to a position above said scrubbing brushes and then to a position above said second set of nozzles, means for causing relative reciprocating movement between the bottles and said scrubbing brushes whereby the latter engage the interior walls of the bottles, and a set of sterilizing nozzles arranged in alinement with said second set of nozzles.

38. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of nozzles arranged in a row, a similar number of scrubbing brushes arranged in a row in alinement with said nozzles, a similar number of nozzles arranged in a row in alinement with said first row of nozzles and on the opposite side of said scrubbing brushes therefrom, means for supporting and advancing a rack of bottles step by step from a position above said first set of nozzles to a position above said scrubbing brushes and then to a position above said second set of nozzles,-

means for causing relative reciprocating movement between the bottles and said scrubbing brushes whereby the latter engage the inner walls of the bottles, a set of sterilizing nozzles arranged in alinement with said second set of nozzles, and means for intermittently controlling the flow of sterilizing fluid through said sterilizing nozzles.

39. In a bottle washing machine, the combination of a support for bottle racks, means for intermittently feeding the racks alongsaid support, nozzles for projecting fluid cleaning jets into the bottles at the first stage of their movement throughthe machine, brushes for acting upon the interiors of the bottles at a further stage of their movement, nozzles for projecting rinsing jets into the bottles at a still further stage of their movement, nozzles for projecting v jets of steam into the bottles at a final stage of their movement, means for actuating said brushes and intermittently actuated means,

operating when the racks are at rest on said support, for controlling .the flow of steam from said steam nozzles.

40. In a bottle Washing machine, the combination of a support for bottle racks, means for intermittently feeding the racks along said support,- nozzles for injecting steam into the bottles carried by the racks, a pipe for supplying steam to said nozzles, and a valve on said steam supply pipe, said feeding means having as anelement a reciprocating slide arranged to engage said valve,

whereby the latter will be opened intermittently.

41. A machine for washing cased bottles, comprising a suitable tank, in combination with a plurality of independent jet heads upon different horizontal planes, each containing a plurality of jet openings corresponding in number and position to the bottles in a bottle case, a support above said heads whereon inverted bottle cases are movable, means for moving bottle cases thereon, means for raising and lowering the bottle cases in relation to certain of said heads and means for controlling the flow of liquid in accordance with the movements of said cases, substantially as described.

heads and a stepby step bottle case moving mechanism, substantially as described.

43. A machine for Washing cased bottles,

comprising a suitable tank, in combination with ,a plurality of independent jet heads,

each containing a plurality of jet openings, a support above said heads Whereon inverted bottle cases are movable to successive positions thereover, and said support having a sectlon Wh1ch is vertically movable for raising and lowering bottle cases over one of said heads, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, l have signed my name tothis specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN C. MILLER. Witnesses-z WM. SIMPSON, A. H. ELLIOTT. 

